Author name: Sandy Schussel

  You have seven seconds. That’s how long it takes for a prospect to form their “trust verdict” about you. Seven seconds to decide whether you’re just another salesperson—or someone who truly understands their world.  Why Your Introduction Is Costing You Clients  Picture this moment: You’re at a networking event, a referral meeting, even a…

  Picture this: a brand-new solo attorney sitting in a coffee shop at 9:15 AM because he’s already burned through his entire caseload for the day. Five whole files. That was me in my first weeks of private practice. I’d spent the previous three years building what looked like a respectable legal career—law clerk to

In the world of financial advising and life insurance sales, success doesn’t come from having a powerful pitch or a slick presentation. It comes from the ability to connect, understand, and build trust—and that begins with asking great questions. Too often, advisors and agents spend too little time fact-finding, filling in a form with details

  I wrote The High Diving Board after a series of near-death experiences—moments that forced me to look hard at my life and ask, “Why did I wait until my health failed to make real changes?” I didn’t want anyone else—especially successful people who seem to “have it all together”—to wait until a crisis before

  In their classic marketing book The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing, Al Ries and Jack Trout declared:  “Be first. If you can’t be first, create a new category in which you can be first.” Today in business—and especially in financial services or insurance—if you can’t be the biggest advisor in your community, be the first

Last week, I offered financial and insurance professionals a Webinar designed to get them off their stalled or inconsistent practice growth. Over 50 advisors expressed interest in the webinar and 30 attended. 5 of them took me up on my offer to meet with them privately to talk about their situation.These numbers are not unusual.